ampersand wrote:So this is my question: are we leading a "generation hobbled by debt" as the Times puts it into poverty because of our societal emphasis on the white collar jobs instead of the blue collar jobs?

From my perspective, it seems like the problem is the idea where you have to go to Stanford or whatever, and if you go to a "no name" college (or worse technical school), you won't succeed in life. It's sad, really.

ampersand wrote:So this is my question: are we leading a "generation hobbled by debt" as the Times puts it into poverty because of our societal emphasis on the white collar jobs instead of the blue collar jobs?

Clearly, but student loans are only the beginning. American culture promotes debt at all levels for all things. I have one more vehicle to pay off which will take another year or so probably, and then all I'll have is my mortgage. That'll take a while, but my goal is to have no further debt. I'm not quite as extreme as Dave Ramsey, but in general it's a good way to go.

You can only be happy with newer, more expensive things of a higher end brand. You can only get the credit to afford those things by getting a college degree and then putting it to work making other people money in exchange for a paycheck. And with these lies combined we have debt bubbles that are ready to bust.